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Large Amphora Vase Majolica Figurative Subject Crocodile Hunt Rubens Policrome

About the Item

Majestic majolica Amphora vase, with a height of 183 cm (72 in) and a diameter of 52 cm (20,5 in): a unique piece, entirely handmade and hand-painted in Gubbio, Central Italy, in 1995. Its surface is decorated with a splendid and detailed reproduction of the famous "The Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt", painted by Peter Paul Ruben's (1615). The body of the vase shows remarkable technical capabilities, given its size and complexity. The amphora is divided into three parts: the base, the central body and the neck. The rarity of majolica artworks of this size lies in the technical difficulty of managing the entire creation process given the large size, both for the making of the terracotta artifact and the subsequent decorating phase. During the first firing of the clay biscuit the risk of breakage is very high and also during the second firing of the color majolica hides many pitfalls, this explains the rarity of artworks of this size, the difficulty of the decorations and consequently their value. Description of the reproduction painted : Peter Paul Rubens created the canvas oil painting entitled The Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt between 1615–16. The hunt takes place on the banks of the Nile, as indicated by a palm tree in the background. As hippopotami and crocodiles were considered dangerous nuisances, their destruction was a duty performed by noblemen. The hunting party comprises three men in orientalizing costume—mounted on Arabian horses, who hunt with lance and sword—and two valets clad in roughly-hewn jerkins—one of whom has been killed by one of the beasts. The enraged hippopotamus tramples the crocodile, as both are attacked by the hunters and hounds. The accurately-rendered physical appearances of the hippopotamus and crocodile contrasts with contemporary renderings and reflect the period's growing interest in empiricism and natural history. It has been suggested that Rubens may have traveled to Rome to view a temporarily-displayed dead hippopotamus preserved in brine prior to the painting of the picture.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 72.05 in (183 cm)Diameter: 20.48 in (52 cm)
  • Style:
    Baroque (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    1990-1999
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1995
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    Recanati, IT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU6031230847202

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